


Emma Wears A Dress

by Of_Princes_and_Savages



Series: Fake Fiances and True Love [3]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Dorks in Love, F/M, Grease References, Inspired By Tumblr, Swanfire - Freeform, they're on a date
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-18
Updated: 2016-10-18
Packaged: 2018-08-23 07:36:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8319376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Of_Princes_and_Savages/pseuds/Of_Princes_and_Savages
Summary: Emma does, in fact, wear a dress. Neal thinks she looks good in anything, but that dress...





	

**Author's Note:**

> I love Swanfire because Emma can be herself. And by that, I mean, she has her own personality and is not tied to being Neal's love, or vice versa, when they have scenes together. It's the same as when Emma stands by Regina, or, on her own. I never knew I liked Emma until she was gone. :(
> 
> Link to the original gif set thingie at the end! :D

Emma spent maybe three months wondering if she and Neal were just friends, or if they were dating, after their cake-tasting adventure.

Then she got super drunk on his sofa when they had a movie night with a few mutual friends, she woke up covered in a blanket and dashed to throw up in his bathroom. He'd given her a t-shirt and sweatpants, microwaved two Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwich thingies while she showered, and presented her with a hot cup of coffee and a spicy-flavored V8 he swore was a magical hangover cure. Emma decided that morning that Neal Gold was a sweet gift from a higher power and gave him a kiss on the lips.

They mutually agreed that the kiss they shared on their next date was better, but only because Emma hadn't thrown up without brushing her teeth.

Dates were still super casual, and Emma was cool with that for the next month or so of "official" dating. She wouldn't say Neal had torn down the mile-high walls around her inner self, but maybe he knocked on a few doors she kept locked and peeked through the windows. She could open those windows and let him see in, maybe reach out when she was comfortable, but she felt secure because Neal didn't pry.

She met his father once. He and his girlfriend, that little woman from the wedding fair, Belle, were sitting in Granny's that day and the only available table was near them. It was one way to meet the parent, she supposed.

"Miss Swan, I presume," he said, holding out his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm Mr. Gold."

"Mr. Gold?" she repeated, raising her eyebrows when he didn't give a first name.

"He won't give you a first name yet," Belle smiled, giving a stage whisper as she leaned forward. "You wouldn't want it anyway, unless you speak Gaelic."

Belle was an adorable human being, and while Gold was a lot more _dour_ than she expected at first glance, she could tell he was Neal's dad. He didn't smile too much, but when he did it was the same crooked, dimpled sort of smile. Same eyes, too. Neal must've gotten his height and coloring from his mother, who Neal assured her had walked right out the picture. Emma predicted his father's reticence and something about his mother had given him that respect for her trust issues.

In a lot of ways, nothing changed...and Emma wasn't sure how to feel about that, now. They'd had sex, sure, and some lazy morning-afters. (Which was as satisfactory as Emma had been hoping for.) But things had never been this stable for Emma Swan, and she was starting to wonder if they were doing something wrong. Or falling into a rut...

So, on a whim, she decided to see about their going on a classier sort of date. Neal's job crunching numbers for a company nearby and her bail-bonds work didn't quite afford them a fancy dinner experience, but they _could_ go somewhere a little nicer than Granny's Diner. After a bit of poking around, Emma turned up a nifty little restaurant that didn't have a burger and fry option on the menu _and_ was still reasonably priced. With a chocolate lava cake that looked freaking awesome, and was what sold Neal on the idea.

She met him there while he was already sitting at a table in the back. Neal, was dressed in a dark blue pullover and a lighter blue-and-black striped scarf and jeans. He looked artsier than he had a right to be, and Emma was aware that she was smiling wider than she normally would have in greeting when she sat down. Another thing that happened around Neal, the smiles. Who knew smiling could make you feel so good?

It took Neal a second to smile back, which usually didn't happen, though. His smile was full and bright as ever though and Emma's bullshit detector stayed dormant, so she decided to let it go. (At least once he said _"hey, we're lucky I got here first, otherwise we'd be sitting by the Brady Bunch over there,"_ pointing to the table full of no less than four shrieking hellions under the age of ten making a ruckus in the back corner no one dared approach.) They ordered an appetizer plate of "mozzerella bites" which were really just mozzerella sticks in bite-sized form with a gussied-up marinara sauce, and things started progressing as normal.

A bit of chatting, a bit of teasing, a bit of poking fun at this and that, Neal being a geek, Emma trying not to but ultimately succumbing to her geekiness due to his own dork influences.

That was probably what made her smirk and pop a mozzerella bite in her mouth. Emma had been aiming for seductive, but Neal looked down and crinkled his forehead in a way she noticed meant he was a little puzzled.

"That's uh, that's an interesting look you got going on there," he said, shifting in his seat.

"I was going for sexy!" she blurted, feeling blood rise in her cheeks. Would it have worked better with a mozzerella stick, or...?

"Yeah, no," Neal scratched the back of his head. "Totally sexy! It's just the dress..."

"What? What's wrong with my dress?" Emma blinked. She had maybe four dressed in her closet, and she picked the one that she'd hoped looked nicest. It was pale pink and sleeveless, with a nice scooping neckline that wasn't too flashy. The skirt flared out a bit and brushed just above her knees. It looked like a dress Emma thought she'd seen Audrey Hepburn wear once, hanging in the apartment Elsa and her sister shared. (Clearly Anna had put it there because it was pink and flowery.) It didn't look bad, right? Some shades of pink did tend to wash her out though...

Neal looked at her a minute, then held back a smile as he leaned forwards over the table.

"You know you look like an extra on Grease, right?"

She-Wait.

Flats.

Pastel sundress.

Blonde ponytail.

She'll be damned.

"Is it that bad?" she winced.

Neal tilted his head a bit like he was weighing his words, giving her another once over. "I'm waiting for you to use the phrase: Rama-lama-lama-a-ding-a-da-ding-gi-dong."

Emma's initial reaction was embarrassment...and then nervous humor because she'd made an effort to look girly for He-Who-Snuck-Them-In-To-A-Carnival-After-Hours with cups of coffee and called it "having a drink" because the swing-ride operator August owed him one. Neal wouldn't mind if she wore yoga pants and a sweatshirt. Actually, if she wore the black yoga pants he might even like it.

There was only one proper thing to do in this situation. Tease back.

"Tell me about it..." she smirked. " _Stud_."

Neal grinned, rolling his dark eyes. "Oh my god, please never say that again."

"Oh Danny," she pitched her voice higher, clasping her hands over her heart. "Is this the end?"

"I swear to god Swan! You quote Sandy one more time and I'm singing the Time Warp song at the top of my lungs!"

"Okay, okay. I can't help it. I'm just hopelessly devot-"

"It's astounding," Neal started warningly, pointing a finger at her. The whole stern look was ruined by his stupid grin. "Time is fleeting..."

"How about we call it a tie, order a lava cake to go, and go watch another crappy musical at home where you can be as nerdy as you want without embarrassing anyone with your off-key singing?" Emma offered.

Personally? The idea of a "nice normal date" seemed pretty pointless now when they could, in fact, be themselves anywhere. Neal grinned and reached across the table to take her hand in his.

"I love it when you talk nerdy."

Thank god, she laughed, looking down at their hands. Because they were both nerds.

 

 

[Inspiration Here](http://zoe19blink.tumblr.com/post/151925078015/emma-and-neal-have-a-date-emma-has-made)


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